Condiment stand



Janyzl, 1930. I c. A. MOSGROVE 1,744,054

' connxmmw sum) Filed May 18, 1928 I NVENTOR Q [ii/, 14%, My

ATTORNEY$ Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CHARLES A. MOSGROVE, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOYRE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT CONDIMENT STAND Application filed May 18, 1928.

This invention relates to condiment stands for holding condiment containers such as salt and pepper cellars and the like. Such stands are usually made so as to hold two or more containers in an upright position ready for use and usually include a handle of some kind so that the stand may be readily handled and carried.

The invention is directed to an improvement in the construction of such stands whereby the cost of production is greatly decreased and a more attractive appearance presented. The practice heretofore has been to provide a suitable base with a number of basket-like receptacles of wire or sheet metal which are made somewhat larger than the diameters of the containers adapted to be placed therein so that they may be readily removed and replaced. In a stand so constructed the loose fitting condiment containers are insecurely held therein so that they rattle, are easily dislodged and frequently spill when moved. These basket-like receptacles are formed initially complete by a separate operation and secured to the base by another operation which usually includes a soldering, riveting, crimping or spinning process. This method is expensive and in order to make such holders at a cost warranted by their nature, a cheaper and lighter raw material must be used, resulting in an inferior finished product. I have found that these objections may be obviated by replacing the basket-like receptacles with clamping holders which grip the sides of the con diment containers so that they are securely held in proper upright position without rattling and without danger of being dislodged or spilling their contents when the stand is moved.

These holders are preferably formed of at least two strips of sheet metal, crossed and apertured at their centers for the reception of a rivet and bent upwardly at their ends to form four converging arms between which the condiment container is held, the tips of these arms gripping the sides of the container, but shaped so that the container may be readily inserted between them. These 50 holders are mounted on a suitable pressed Serial No. 278,658.

sheet metal base, preferably by slotting the base for the reception of the four arms, so that these arms may be inserted through the base from its under side to extend above its upper surface. The base is also apertured between these slots for the reception of the same rivet which secures together the strips forming the arms, this rivet being passed through the apertures in the strips and base before riveting. In a similar way the handle may be formed of wire stock or sheet metal bent into a finger loop, the free ends of the wire passing through apertures or slots in the base and bent over or riveted securely. Thus the stand is simply made of commercial sheet metal, such as aluminum or the like, by stamping or pressing processes, whereby the stand is inexpensive, durable and attractive in appearance.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the complete condiment stand of this invention, showing salt and pepper cellars in position thereon;

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section of the stand;

Fig. 3 is a view of the under side of the stand;

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through one of the clamping holders taken along line 4i of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 illustrates the base of the stand, shaped and punched ready for assembling;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one of the strips shaped to make one element of one of the clamping holders;

Fig. 7 shows the method of assembling the strips to form the clamping holder; and

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the handle.

In these drawings numeral 10 designates the base, which is preferably stamped or pressed out of sheet metal such as aluminum or the like, so that a lip or rim 11 is formed upon which the base is adapted to rest, as shown especially in Figs. 1, 2 and 4c- Assuming that the stand is intended to hold two condiment containers, such as the salt and pepper cellars 12 and 13 illustrated in Fig. 1, the base 10 is preferably slotted or apertured as shown especially in Fig. 5. Elongated slots 14 are spaced equally from a center aperture 15 at either side of the elongated base 10. Vhile these slots are shown rectangular in shape, they may obviously be otherwise shaped to suit requirements. Two other apertures 16 are placed between each group of slots 14 in the manner illustrated.

The clamping holders for securing each one of the cellars 12 and 13 in an upright position upon base 10 are formed of strips of metal 17, also preferably of springy aluminum, these strips being bent into a U- shape as shown particularly in Fig. 6. The base of the U-shaped strip is made somewhat wider than the space between the tips of the arms 18, these tips being curved outwardly in the manner illustrated for the ready reception of the containers 12 and 13.

The base of the U-shaped strip is also made somewhat wider than the diameter of the base of the containers or cellars 12 and 13 so that these containers will fit therein, while the space between the tips of the arms 18 is made smaller than the diameter of the containers 12 and 13 at the point where these tips engage the sides thereof so that the containers will be securely gripped. In the center of the U-shaped strip thus formed is provided an aperture 19 for the reception of a rivet 20 or other fastening device. In assembling these U-shaped strips to make one of the clamping holders, two or more of them are placed together in the manner illustrated by Fig. 7, that is, so that they are crossed to form a plurality of upwardly extending arms 18, all converging so that the space between the tips of these arms is less than the space at their bases. A rivet 20 is passed through the apertures 19 of these crossed strips, as shown in Fig. 7, but it is not riveted over. While in this form, arms 18 are inserted from the under side of base 10 through slots 14 so that when the base is inverted the arms 18 extend perpendicularly upward from base 10, as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. Fig. 3 illustrates how the arms 18 project through the slots 14: from the under side of base 10, the bases of the strips 17 lying flush therewith, and the rivet 20 which holds these strips together fitting through aperture 15 in base 10. After this operation has been completed, rivet 20 is peened over on the top surface of base 10 so that the arms 18 are securely and rigidly clamped in place. Not only are the arms 18 held in place by the rivet, but they are prevented from moving laterally because they fit closely in slots 14 and are thus rigid with respect to each other.

It will be seen that when one of the cellars 12 or 13 is inserted in the holder formed by arms 18, these arms will spread outwardly slightly at their tips in order to accommodate the slightly larger cellar, because the tips of the holder formed by arms 18 are spaced closer together than the diameter of the cellar as well as closer together than at their bases. Thus the cellars 12 and 13 or other condiment containers are securely clamped in the holder formed by arms 18, but these arms are made of flexible material so that the condiment container may be readily removed and as readily replaced. Accordingly, there can be no rattling, dislodgment, or spilling of the contents of the condiment containers when the stand is moved.

In order to provide a suitable handle for readily handling and carrying the stand, a length of wire or a strip of sheet metal is bent as illustrated in Fig. 8, so as to form a finger loop 22 and prongs 28 at the lower end. These prongs are spaced apart so as to fit in apertures 16 of base 10 so that they may be bent or riveted over on the under side thereof in the manner illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3. lVhile the new condiment stand has been described as being made of sheet metal, which is preferable because of its availability, cheapness and ready working qualities, holders formed of spring wire instead of sheet metal strips 17 might be used on a cast base with nearly the same facility, and other changes, such as bending strips 17 at slots 11 to eliminate rivet 20 for fastening the strips 17 together and to the base and the like, may be introduced to advantage to suit requirements. Furthermore, the strips 17 may be bent into other shapes than the U-shape described in order to accommodate containers of Various designs, and where round instead of polygonal containers are employed, the faces of the arms where they engage the container may be curved to more securely grip the sides of the round container. Various other changes may be made, depending on requirements, so that the same advantages may be secured in the particular embodiment of the invention described, namely, low cost of manufacture, pleasing appearance, effectiveness for the purpose intended, durability, and the like.

I claim:

1. A stand for holding an article, comprising in combination a base having a flange for maintaining the wall thereof spaced from the surface upon which it is placed, said wall of the base being provided with a plurality of slots and an aperture centrally thereof, a plurality of U-shaped members each having an aperture in the crossbar thereof and being so mounted with respect to the base that the arms of said members project through said slots in the wall thereof, and a fastening member inserted through the apertures in said U-shaped members in the base to cause the cross-bars of said members to be held to the base at this point, whereby the members are normally maintained in an upright position on the base but are capable of flexing to permit the insertion of an article therebetween, and a handle having portions extending through the wall of the base for anchoring the same thereto with the gripping portion extending upwardly from the base.

2. A stand for holding an article comprising in combination a main base portion and a flange for maintaining the wall thereof spaced from the surface upon which it is placed, said wall of the base being provided with a plurality of slots, a pluralitv of retaining members having arms extending upwardly from said slots, said members being formed with portions connected to the main base portion inwardly of the upwardly extending arms which members are so positioned with respect to the wall of said base that the connecting portions thereof are spaced from the supporting surface so that the arms are normally maintained in an upright position but are capable of flexing to permit the insertion of an article therebetween, and a handle having its lower end connected to the wall of the base with the grip ping portion extending upwardly from the base.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES A. MOSGROVE. 

